[Current treatment of hepatic trauma]

The therapeutic and diagnostic approach of liver trauma injuries (by extension, of abdominal trauma) has evolved remarkably in the last decades. The current non-surgical treatment in the vast majority of liver injuries is supported by the accumulated experience and optimal results in the current series. It is considered that the non-surgical treatment of liver injuries has a current rate of success of 83-100%, with an associated morbidity of 5-42%. The haemodynamic stability of the patient will determine the applicability of the non-surgical treatment. Arteriography with angioembolisation constitutes a key technical tool in the context of liver trauma. Patients with haemodynamic instability will need an urgent operation and can benefit from abdominal packing techniques, damage control and post-operative arteriography. The present review attempts to contribute to the current, global and practical management in the care of liver trauma.